Triumphrat

convict

i get the point - its just that non mechanics get tired of being bashed just like triumph riders do by HD riders and so on. i also dont have a garage or a lift or even a good place to learn. i have read the books and websites and like to see the inner workings of all kinda stuff. and as for "nowing your own bike in a way you can never have unless you work on it and tune it yourself" ? are you a heart surgeon as well? i"m kiddin. the point is be careful how you say what you say.

badrufus

Convict, I can see why you might get irritated--there is a lot of stress here on doing it yourself. I've learned from observation that whether one wrenches should not be a factor in deciding whether one is a true biker. My husband rides a Litespeed titanium road bike (no engine) that's worth at least half my T100. He has the dealer do all the work except the inevitable tube/tire changes. He works hard, and long hours in a stressful job. He doesn't enjoy wrenching, despite the fact that he can take the bike apart and put it back together quite competently. He likes visiting his bike dealer. He likes riding more than wrenching, and his schedule is such that he does have to choose between the two. He is a serious rider who rides difficult roads in the mountains around here. He's coming up on 50 and yet he goes all out on his rides. He doesn't wrench, but he's a real rider.
I, on the other hand, wrench. Simply because I enjoy it almost as much as riding. I've always been into tools, techy stuff, fixing things, and I'm fascinated by engines, carbs and other bits on motorcycles. It doesn't make me more of a biker than you or anyone else--it's just a personal preference.
Deborah

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2005 T100

sweatmachine

it's all part of getting to know your machine, whether or not you have the time, interest, or desire is another thing.

If you are financially able to pay the dealer to do everything, and that's what you want to do, good for you.

I don't want to pay the dealer to work on mine, I value the knowledge and mastery of my machine. It's kinda like a jigsaw puzzle, except instead of some dumb picture at the end you have a kickass bike.

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Macgruber!


Click for a picture of my slightly modified Bonnie

MattTriumphs

Some of you need to calm down. You talk about not caring what other people think yet you're getting confrontational towards another Triumph owner about what he thinks! Can you say hypocrite?

When I joined this forum the first thing I noticed was how cool and helpful everyone was. Lets keep it that way.

unitedrocker

Get to know your bike. Some stuff is easy, and people actually even enjoy working on bikes. Something as simple as setting up your handlebars for your riding style isn't rocket science... and hey, you did a little work on your bike.

I get you though, little time for wrenching now with two kids, and the house has become the time sucker for me. No offense, but not everything should be fixed with a credit card.

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Never settle for the usual.

'05 865 Thrux-ton - Super-Duper Modified: painted inner tube caps yellow, purple tassels on the bars, and pink neon lighting.

mikeinva

you know i started rideing bikes around1965.I dont and never have judged people by what they ride or wear.Back when i was young if you wore a helment everyone would call you a sissy i allways said hey if thats what you want go for it.I ran with out law bikers (back then they where the only ones called bikers)the rest of us where just guys that loved bikes.Iride alot now with a bunch of HD guys they dont talk down to me.Only one guy we rode with ever made a joke of my bonnie( till we got on a open road then i left his as) now all he says is man that little bike is bad.Back in the day i ran around with the real bikers i rode a h2 kaw 750.They would tell me man your nuts that thing is not safe.
Any way my point is take everyone you meet one on one who knows you might find some nice people that way.If they pick on your little bonnie say your money buy a 1200 kit and blow there ass away.

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Why do I feel young on my bike

bgaz

A friend had one of those 750 2 stroke three cylinder Kawasaki's, and it was insane.
To top it off it was chopped (extended forks).

I once did a wheelie at 60 mph, I did not mean to I just gave it some throttle, the motor stumbled, then the wheel came up
fast!
I think he had it 3 weeks before crashing it.

They could never sell something like that today, not with all the lawyers around!

Savage power, poor handling, poor brakes, what fun!

Brett

whoa

You on the outs with your riding buddies? On another forum, a guy sold his Road King because of the "Harley Scene". I never got his point. I suspect he was tired of the bike and that was an excuse.

Your still good with the bike right? Just you need to pick a new set of riding buddies? Not sure where you live, but if your near Austin you are welcome to ride with the RATs. We don't care what brand you ride.

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05 Thruxton

davidc

Well! Quite a lot of "emotionally charged" words here. Not wanting to directly add to the fray, I'll say this: KingStreetRat is far more accurate in his observations than singling out a small faction. Years of involvement in motorcycles - poker runs, midnight runs, swap meets - taught me of the "Harley" culture. It is BS. On a similar vein, at one time I was heavily involved in the TIOC and BIMOC and went to many vintage shindigs. I encountered another different sort of elitism there - mostly with "correctness" of my bike. No oil decal, the wrong oil decal, the decal in the wrong place and I was a leper. I switched phillip head screws for allen heads after busting my a** enough to get them off and eyes rolled. "How gauche".
I eventually dropped out and went my own way. The "acceptence" and "do your own thing, let them do theirs" mantra does not change the fact of shallow people gaining false substance through a product they bought - and anyone else can buy as well.

MattTriumps' post smacks of much truth. And one last thing, I never liked the term "biker" or use it to describe myself - the connotation just sucks. If I need to describe my attitude toward bikes in a word, I am a "motorcyclist".

[ This message was edited by: davidc on 2007-05-16 18:56 ]

BILLYSIM

27 bikes so far...many Harleys...almost always rode w/ my "cop" helmet, extra lights/horns etc. for safety. No, I didn't fit with the stereotypical crowd...but...who cares...
I wouldn't have been hangin' with those types regardless of what I, or they, were riding.
It's the people not the machines...
...Billy :wink:

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Shoot safe, straight and often...